Darton State College

Darton State College Policies and Procedures

Definition of a Legal Resident

For fee payment purposes, Darton College is required, under the guidelines established by the Regents of the University System of Georgia, to determine the residence classification of all applicants/students of Darton College. The following rules have been adopted by the Board of Regents for this purpose:

If a person is 18 years of age or older, he or she may register as a resident student only upon showing that he or she has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least twelve months immediately preceding the date of registration.
No emancipated minor or person 18 years of age or older shall be deemed to have gained or acquired in-state resident status for fee purposes while attending any educational institution in this State, in the absence of a clear demonstration that he or she has in fact established legal residence in this State.

If a person is under 18 years of age, he or she may register as a resident only upon showing that his or her supporting parent or guardian has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least twelve months immediately preceding the date of registration.

A full-time employee of the University System and his or her spouse and dependent children may register on the payment of resident fees.

Non-resident graduate students who hold teaching or research assistantships requiring at least one-third time service may register as students in the institution in which they are employed on payment of resident fees.

Full-time teachers in the public schools of Georgia and their dependent children may enroll as students in the University system institutions on the payment of resident fees.

All aliens shall be classified as non-resident students provided, however, that an alien who is living in this country under a visa permitting permanent residence shall have the same privilege of qualifying for resident status for fee purposes as a citizen of the United States.

Foreign students who attend institutions of the University System under financial sponsorship of civic or religious groups located in this State may be enrolled upon the payment of resident fees, provided the number of such foreign students in any one institution does not exceed the quota approved by the Board of Regents for that institution.

If the parents or legal guardian of a minor change his or her legal residence to another state following a period of legal residence in Georgia, the minor may continue to take courses for a period of twelve consecutive months on the payment of resident fees. After the expiration of the twelve-month period, the student may continue his registration only upon the payment of fees at the non-resident rate.

In the event that a legal resident of Georgia is appointed as guardian of a non-resident minor, such minor will not be permitted to register as a resident student until the expiration of one year from the date of court appointment, and then only upon proper showing that such appointment was not made to avoid payment of the non-resident fees.

Career Consular officers and their dependants who are citizens of the foreign nation which their Consular office represents and who are stationed and living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments shall be entitled to enroll in University institutions on payment of resident fees. This arrangement shall apply to those Consular officers whose nations operate on the principle of educational reciprocity with the United States.

Military personnel and their dependants stationed in Georgia and on active duty, except military personnel assigned to system institutions for educational purposes, shall pay the same fees assessed residents of Georgia.

A nonresident who is financially dependent upon a parent, parents, or spouse who has been a legal resident of Georgia for at least twelve consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration, shall pay the same fees assessed residents of Georgia, provided, however, that such financial dependence shall have existed for at least twelve consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration.

The burden of proof of residency status rests with the student. The college reserves the right to require the documentation it deems necessary when a student feels that circumstances have changed to warrant reconsideration of residency status. It shall be the student's responsibility to submit a petition for review.

Students have the right to enter an appeal of residency classification. Such an appeal must state the nature of the grievance and the desired outcome in writing and must be directed to the President of the College.